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Vietnamese Primary Teachers' Autonomy in the Context of Educational Reform

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Title: Vietnamese Primary Teachers' Autonomy in the Context of Educational Reform
Language: English
Authors: Thang Dinh Truong (ORCID 0000-0002-0699-0733), Hong-Van Thi Dinh (ORCID 0009-0005-8324-9948), Xuan V. Ha (ORCID 0000-0001-7538-0659), Kien The Pham (ORCID 0000-0002-2622-0736), Tram-Anh Thi Nguyen (ORCID 0000-0002-8379-4330), Dung Viet Nguyen (ORCID 0009-0008-4775-2003)
Source: European Journal of Education. 2026 61(2).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 17
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Elementary School Teachers, Professional Autonomy, Educational Change, Teaching Methods, Evaluation Methods, Barriers, Teacher Attitudes, Principals, Administrator Attitudes, Curriculum Development
Geographic Terms: Vietnam
DOI: 10.1111/ejed.70587
ISSN: 0141-8211
1465-3435
Abstract: Vietnam's 2018 General Education Curriculum Reform (GECR) aims to enhance teacher autonomy in designing competency-based and student-centred learning. However, how this autonomy is enacted in practice remains underexplored. This qualitative study investigates how Vietnamese primary teachers interpret and exercise autonomy in curriculum, pedagogy and assessment under the 2018 GECR and the challenges they face. Data were drawn from semi-structured interviews with 21 participants--including teachers, principals and academic group leaders from three public primary schools representing diverse contexts. The study employs team-based thematic analysis to identify patterns of teacher autonomy and constraints. Findings show that while teachers exercised substantial autonomy in adapting curriculum content, selecting pedagogical methods and employing formative assessments, their autonomy remains uneven across domains. In particular, summative assessment requirements and accountability pressures continue to structure key instructional decisions, producing a contextually negotiated form of 'bounded freedom'. The findings further suggest that teacher autonomy is shaped by two mechanisms: asymmetrical reform sequencing that reinforces assessment control, and cultural norms of hierarchy and collective conformity that position autonomy as adaptive alignment with institutional expectations rather than individual professional discretion. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of 'bounded autonomy' and underscores the need for structural, professional and cultural supports to enable meaningful teacher autonomy and agency.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1506886
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Vietnamese Primary Teachers' Autonomy in the Context of Educational Reform
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Thang+Dinh+Truong%22">Thang Dinh Truong</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0699-0733">0000-0002-0699-0733</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hong-Van+Thi+Dinh%22">Hong-Van Thi Dinh</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0005-8324-9948">0009-0005-8324-9948</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Xuan+V%2E+Ha%22">Xuan V. Ha</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7538-0659">0000-0001-7538-0659</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kien+The+Pham%22">Kien The Pham</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2622-0736">0000-0002-2622-0736</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tram-Anh+Thi+Nguyen%22">Tram-Anh Thi Nguyen</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8379-4330">0000-0002-8379-4330</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dung+Viet+Nguyen%22">Dung Viet Nguyen</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4775-2003">0009-0008-4775-2003</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22European+Journal+of+Education%22"><i>European Journal of Education</i></searchLink>. 2026 61(2).
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 17
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+School+Teachers%22">Elementary School Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professional+Autonomy%22">Professional Autonomy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Change%22">Educational Change</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+Methods%22">Teaching Methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Evaluation+Methods%22">Evaluation Methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Attitudes%22">Teacher Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Principals%22">Principals</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Administrator+Attitudes%22">Administrator Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Curriculum+Development%22">Curriculum Development</searchLink>
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  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Vietnam%22">Vietnam</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
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  Data: 10.1111/ejed.70587
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  Data: 0141-8211<br />1465-3435
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Vietnam's 2018 General Education Curriculum Reform (GECR) aims to enhance teacher autonomy in designing competency-based and student-centred learning. However, how this autonomy is enacted in practice remains underexplored. This qualitative study investigates how Vietnamese primary teachers interpret and exercise autonomy in curriculum, pedagogy and assessment under the 2018 GECR and the challenges they face. Data were drawn from semi-structured interviews with 21 participants--including teachers, principals and academic group leaders from three public primary schools representing diverse contexts. The study employs team-based thematic analysis to identify patterns of teacher autonomy and constraints. Findings show that while teachers exercised substantial autonomy in adapting curriculum content, selecting pedagogical methods and employing formative assessments, their autonomy remains uneven across domains. In particular, summative assessment requirements and accountability pressures continue to structure key instructional decisions, producing a contextually negotiated form of 'bounded freedom'. The findings further suggest that teacher autonomy is shaped by two mechanisms: asymmetrical reform sequencing that reinforces assessment control, and cultural norms of hierarchy and collective conformity that position autonomy as adaptive alignment with institutional expectations rather than individual professional discretion. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of 'bounded autonomy' and underscores the need for structural, professional and cultural supports to enable meaningful teacher autonomy and agency.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1506886
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        Value: 10.1111/ejed.70587
    Languages:
      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 17
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary School Teachers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Professional Autonomy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Change
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      – SubjectFull: Teaching Methods
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      – SubjectFull: Evaluation Methods
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      – SubjectFull: Teacher Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Administrator Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Curriculum Development
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      – SubjectFull: Vietnam
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      – TitleFull: Vietnamese Primary Teachers' Autonomy in the Context of Educational Reform
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